Clothing and Equipment at the battle of King's Mountain

Scottish Officer Major Patrick Ferguson of the 71st Foot acting as Inspector of Militia

The October 7th, 1780 Battle of King's Mountain pitted a well organized Loyalist force under British Major Patrick Ferguson against Patriot militia. Despite experienced leadership and a well chosen position occupying high ground, the Loyalist force was surrounded, eventually enveloped and then captured by enraged Virginia (drawing heavily from Washington County men) and Carolina back country militia who had arrived swiftly by horseback before the Loyalist force could escape or be reinforced. Prior to the engagement Ferguson had issued an inflammatory missive urging local loyalists to join his forces against the "Backwater men"or be "pissed upon forever and ever by a set of mongrels."  The Loyalists eventually became casualties or surrendered after a spirited defense that relied heavily on the bayonet while many of the Americans assaulting their position fired from the trees below.  The accounts of no quarter given to American forces by Tarleton at Buford's defeat or Waxhaws earlier that year urged little sympathy for Tories and some where killed in the chaotic moments after the surrender had taken place. This dramatic Patriot victory remained a proud and romanticized moment for many back country Americans, and many items descended through participant's families with a sometimes unjustified provenance of use at this important battle.

Loyalist Units Clothing and Equipment

Provincial Officer Lt. Anthony Allaire of the Loyal American Regiment 

Attributed to John Ramage c. 1779 (New Brunswick Museum) from His Majesty's Loyalists, & Indian Allies by The 18th Century Material Culture Resource Center

 An extract of Allaire's account of the battle can be found here.

The Loyalist Units under Ferguson were a mixed bag, from local Tories in their civilian clothes and arms to experienced and red uniformed Provincial (American) troops. Some Loyalist militia men from South Carolina appear to have been clothed in Hunting shirts and were armed with captured French muskets from Charlestown, causing a confusing as well as bloody engagement. Ferguson himself may have been wearing a hunting shirt when he was killed at the battle. Alexander Chesney's Diary states that "Col. Ferguson was at last recognized by his gallantry, although wearing a hunting shirt and fell pierced by seven balls, at the moment he had killed the American Col. Williams with his left hand (The right being useless) [several accounts mention him holding a sword in his left hand due to a prior injury] (The Battle of Kings Mountain: Eyewitness Accounts Robert M. Dunkerly p 132) Red coated Loyalist Provincials are mentioned in a postwar participant statement from 1824 (James Davison of Virginia serving under Campbell): "the Enemy were ordered to set down that they might be distinguished as others from us as we were dressed alike except the red coats.” (The Battle of Kings Mountain: Eyewitness Accounts by Robert M. Dunkerly p43).  Thomas Young later mentioned that both forces used field signs to differentiate each other. He saw "paper which the Whigs wore in their hats, and the pine twigs the tories wore in theirs, these being the badges of distinction." The Battle of Kings Mountain: Eyewitness Accounts by Robert M. Dunkerly p92 ).

 Model 1763 Infantry Musket and Bayonet Colonial Williamsburg

 As for small arms; in May 1780 Charleston SC: "Issued to Maj. Ferguson's [Militia] Corps...300 serviceable French muskets and bayonets, and 50 Sea Service Swords..." (British Military Rifles -Appendix 3 p215 by DeWitt Bailey).

 

British Sea Service sword, known today as a "Figure of Eight" Cutlass (Private Collection).

 
The pension application of North Carolinian John Fields mentions that he "was wounded on the head by a cutlass, a short sword, during the battle of King's Mountain." Another head wound was reported by Thomas Toms of George Maxwell's company: "Severely wounded on the head, being scalped on the left temple with a stroke from a hatchet, which does much injury to that eye, is also disabled in two fingers on the left hand, and wounded in the right hip and his neck; all which he received in the service of the
United States, against Major Ferguson [Patrick Ferguson] on King's mountain."

Firearms with King's Mountain provenance are rare, but a pattern 56 Long Land survives in the Kentucky Historical Society Collection that was said to have been captured by Isaac Shelby at the battle.

An iron mounted Dutch musket similar to the original appearance of the "Vannoy" musket. Both were likely French and Indian war era imports. Image: Morphy Auctions

A restocked iron mounted Dutch musket with family provenance to a South Carolina militiaman named Vannoy who supposedly captured it from Tories at King's Mountain was donated to the Smithsonian in 1887 and remains there to this day. The gun barrel was marked "Douglas" for an officer in Dutch service prior to the gun being imported to America (see The Sword of Lord and Gideon William Baker Clyde p24).

Patriot Militia Clothing and Equipment 

 

 

 

 Isaac Shelby's canteen, horn and hatchet

 

Although not uniformed like some of their Loyalist enemies, several trends can be noted in Patriot militia clothing and equipment. Wallets and rifles seem to have been commonplace. Although several hunting shirts are present in Washington County Virginia probate inventories before and after the battle (as well as a July 4, 1777 deserter ad for a Washington county man clad in a "white hunting shirt...leather leggings and mockasons").  I was surprised at the scarcity of primary source information on them from Patriot militia participants (this may be due to the cold weather).

 

North Carolina booklet : great events in North Carolina history [1918 : July, v.1 : no.1]Volume 18, Number 1 (July 1918)

 via Clothing the Carolinas Blog

  

 Shelby's autobiography mentions that the Patriot militia were forced to "keep their guns dry by wrapping their bags, blankets and hunting shirts around the locks, which exposed their bodies to a heavy and incessant rain." Another Washington County man, Thomas Maxwell was killed while wearing a white hunting shirt in 1782. South Carolina militiaman William Shaw's pension application states that "at the battle at Kings Mountain your petitioner was able to show a hunting shirt struck with several balls and nothing but a kind & overruling Providence preserved his life."

An original 18th century linen wallet marked "CD" in red thread. Private Collection

Ensign Robert Campbell mentions the mounted militia rushing to attack Ferguson were commonly equipped with wallets or saddlebags (a tidbit also mentioned in the Draper MS in the 19th century). 

 

Multiple sources indicate Colonel William Campbell fought in his "shirt sleeves" after removing his "light colored coat" (Isaac Shelby account The Battle of Kings Mountain: Eyewitness Accounts by Robert M. Dunkerly). There is also evidence that Campbell may have previously owned an Indian beaded shot bag or shot bag strap, likely similar to those depicted being worn by American soldiers in Trumball's 1786 painting Death of General Montgomery (detail shown below).

 

"Jacob Stern to William Campbell...1774 To a Beaded Shot Bag [and?] Strap..."

(The Montgomery County Story, 1776-1957: Crush, Charles W. )

 

 

The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, December 31, 1775 

Probate inventories from several of the men from Washington County Virginia who were killed in the battle mention typical civilian clothing such as blue coats and leather breeches. Some of the participants from Washington County also owned greatcoats, as found in Captain Wm Edmiston's estate. The (wartime inflated) appraised values are noted.

"One blue broadcloth [coat] and linen jacket £150...One pair of leather breeches £75...One great coat £150...One horse £600"

In addition to the probates of men who were killed at the battle [I highly recommend Washington County Virginia Will Book 1 1777-1792 Abstracted & annotated by Jack Hockett & indexed by Donald Helton Iberian Publishing ] claims were also made for items lost by survivors (a few of the more interesting ones are included below).

Annals of Southwest Va 1769-1800 by Lewis Preston SummersWashington County p116-7

"Agreeable to an Act for adjusting claims for property impressed or taken for public service- The following claims was ordered to be reported to the General Assembly.

Nathaniel Gist heir at Law to Richard Gist one rifle gun lost at Kings Mountain 11/6d
Lattice Laird Executrix of James one rifle gun lost at Kings Mountain 6/10d
Jeremiah Alexander a horse 13 hands and one inche high seven years old 12/18d
Robert Hamilton curing Thomas Hobbs do
    Wounded Soldier 2L
Robert Hickinbottom a horse Saddle bridle and blanket 11/6d

James Cock twenty two pounds and a half of dry Beef and three and half pounds of Bacon 11s/3d
Charles Cock fifty pounds of Venison 4s/2d
Charles Cock fourteen pounds of Bacon 10s/3d....

p1119At a Court continued and Held for Washington County September 19th 1782...William Edmondson for Saddle bridle bagg two blankets one pair of Leggons- Continental use 5L/6s/6d

Many of the Washington County men seem to have been armed with rifles. Draper's Secondary source "King's Mountain and its heroes" makes a point to mention that many of the men were armed with rifles by "Deckert" or as we know him Jacob Dickert, of Pennsylvania. Dickert's rifles were known in North Carolina in years prior as discussed here.

"Mostly armed with the Deckard rifle, in the use of which they were expert alike against Indians and beasts of the forest, they regarded themselves the equals of Ferguson and his practiced riflemen and musketeers. They were little encumbered with baggage — each with a blanket, a cup by his side, with which to quench his thirst from the mountain streams, and a wallet of provisions, the latter
principally of parched corn meal, mixed, as it generally was, with maple sugar, making a very agreeable repast, and withal full of nourishment. An occasional skillet was taken along for a mess, in which to warm up in water their parched meal, and cook such wild or other meat as fortune
should throw in their way. " ( "King's Mountain and its heroes" )

A Jacob Dickert rifle with a four-piece box. Rock Island Auction

This notion of Dickert's rifles being preferred by the "Overmountain" men from Virginia is backed up by at least two of the surviving (sadly restocked and altered) rifles with King's Mountain provenance being signed or having a family provenance of starting out as Dickert's work. The Edmundson gun at the Muster Grounds museum in Abingdon is signed "J. Dickert 1773" on the barrel and the also heavily modified- Robert Young rifle known as "Sweetlips" at the Tennessee State Museum has a provenance that mentions Deckert being the original maker.

J. G. M. Ramsey’s Annals of Tennessee (1853) mentions that the Patriot forces at King's Mountain were “well mounted, and nearly all carried a Deckhard rifle,” “so called,” a note elaborated, “from Deckhard, the maker, in Lancaster, Pa.” ( quoted from this excellent article on Dickert by Scott Paul Gordon).

 

 

 

Dillin's 1924 book, The Kentucky rifle  mentions 180 to 300 grain balls being found at the battle site. These would be roughly .50-60 caliber lead balls from either fowling pieces (commonly 1/2 and or 5/8 or 20 gauge bores) or rifles. The pattern 1756 King's pattern muskets of the Loyalist troops would have fired roughly 500 grain balls, the French muskets used by Loyalist troops would have fired carbine bore balls weighing around 350 grains.

At least one Washington County, Virginia man named Banning was armed with a "smooth [bore] gun.

"At a Court held for Washington County, April 15, 1783: Present — James Dysart, Aaron Lewis, Alexander Outlaw, John Lowrey, Samuel Newell. Gentlemen :

"Ordered that Benoni Banning be allowed for a mare the sum of six pounds; for a saddle, one pound ten shillings; for a bridle, six shillings; for a smooth gun, two pounds; for a bell, four shillings; twelve shillings for a shirt and wallet; for a pocket-book and nine dollars paper money, six shillings, he having made sufficient proof to the Court that he lost them when he was wounded at the battle of King's Mountain."  

The Pension application of Abner Lee R6257  states that " The Company in which I served was of the Virginia Militia: We were footman and was armed with Rifles mostly but had muskets & shotguns generally as we owned them before we started. 

 

"Old Tom" at the Smith McDowell house museum

The Smith-McDowell House Museum in North Carolina displays a restocked smooth bore shotgun that belonged to North Carolinian Daniel Smith who participated in the battle.

 

A pipe tomahawk from eastern Tennessee Colonial Williamsburg Collection 1973-354

Charles Bowen's Pension application ( S16055 ) mentions that "friendly fire" almost cost him his life in the confused combat during the pitched battle "-declarant [Bowen] stepped behind a tree, leveled his Gun and shot the first man who hoisted the flag among the enemy and immediately turned his back to the tree to reload his Gun when Col Cleveland advanced, called on declarant for the countersign, which declarant did not immediately recollect, nor could he give it. Col Cleveland instantly leveled his rifle at Declarant's breast and attempted to fire, but the Gun snapped. Declarant jumped at Cleveland seized him by the collar, drew his tomahawk, and would have sunk it in Cleveland's head if his arm had not been arrested by a soldier by the name of Beanhannon [sic, Buchanan?], who knew the parties.  Declarant immediately recollected the countersign which was “Blueford,” [sic, Buford] named it and Cleveland dropped his gun and clasped Declarant in his arms."  

 Arms artifacts excavated at King's Mountain by the NPS

North Carolinian Major Thomas Young's Narrative of the battle mentions his painful lack of shoes and his "large old musket":

"...After we had fairly got on the Mountain, I heard a great noise & voices saying, Col. Williams is shot-I ran to him- his son Daniel had raised him up; they ran into a tent and got some water & washed his face so that he could speak. The first words he spoke were "For God's sake, boys, don't give up the hill." We now had the Enemy huddled up on the top of the Mountain; they whelled to fire a platoon over us, some of our men ranback, but I was too much fatigued to run. They fired, but without effect. They soon hoisted two flags & surrendered. I had no shoes, and of course
fought in this battle barefoot; when it was over, my feet were much torn and bleeding all over."...The next morning we were ordered to fire a round. I fired my large old musket, charged at the time of the battle with two musket balls, as I had done every time during the engagement; and the recoil, in this case was dreadful, but I had not noticed it in the battle..."

 An iron mounted Dutch musket that has a round lock and at some point appears to have been retrofitted with French style barrel bands is on display at the King's Mountain visitor's center. This musket has a family provenance of being used by Jacob Beeler at the battle. According to his pension application, Beeler originally hailed from Virginia, and removed to the Holston river in North Carolina around 1770 and volunteered under Captain John Pemberton to go against Ferguson in the King's Mountain campaign.

For further reading of primary sources, I highly recommend  The Battle of Kings Mountain: Eyewitness Accounts by Robert M. Dunkerly.

Virginia Militia clothing and equipment in Dunmore's War, 1774

An often overlooked late colonial era campaign, "Dunmore's War" culminated in the October 10th, 1774 battle of Point Pleasant between Virginia Militia and a force of largely Shawnee Indians in modern day West Virginia. Sometimes controversially referred to as the first battle of the American Revolution, the campaign led to further friction between Virginians and Royal Governor John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore. 

  

Sir Joshua Reynolds - John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore - Google Art Project

An in depth discussion of the causes and politics behind the campaign are a bit involved for a blog post, but I highly recommend the recent scholarship on this campaign by Glenn F. Williams, author of Dunmore's War: The Last Conflict of America's Colonial Era. Additionally the Documentary History of Dunmore's War has a large amount of primary source information.

The Virginia militia was embodied in two wings, Andrew Lewis commanding the men who fought at Point Pleasant and Dunmore personally commanded the Northern Wing which was in the field but not present at the battle.

1774 Virginia Militia Clothing

 Gordon Riots London militia 1780
1863;0214.774  British Museum

Generally speaking, Virginia militia was not uniformed, and wore their civilian clothes for service (typically a coat, waistcoat and breeches). Hunting shirts of various colors were favored by the "Back Wood's Rifleman" as described by John Ferdinand Smyth Stuart:

"Their hunting, or rifle shirts, they have also died in a variety of colours, some yellow, others red, some brown, and many wear them quite white...Sometimes they wear leather breeches, made of Indian dressed elk, or deer skins, but more frequently thin trowsers. On their legs they have Indian boots, or leggings made of coarse woolen cloth...”

A 1777 watercolor of a Virginia rifleman attributed to Lt. Richard St. George Mansergh St. George of the British 52nd Regiment of foot.

However, some companies received issued osnabrigs (unbleached natural colored linen) hunting shirts and blue wool leggings for the expedition and would have been fairly uniform in appearance.

August 28th, 1774

"Dr. Colo. I have got as fare as Mr. Branders with a handful of Men out of my own Company.  I think our Number of private Men is thirty one....the Men I have, are fit for the business, but are badly fix'd, for want of Hunting shirts, and Blankets; but as I hear Mr. Branders Waggon,is on this side New River; I hope we shall get supply'd...I shall be glad Sir., if it can be done, to have a Gun provided against we come down, as I have a very good Hand without: when I was in the service before, there was near twenty press'd Guns: which the Country freely pay'd for, and I doubt not, but the same necessity will be allowed now..."

Both hunting and body shirts were procured at McCorkle's store in what is now Pulaski county Virginia by officers commanding companies on the expedition. Individual soldiers purchased cuttoe knives, printed hankerchiefs and wool cloth.


 [Col. William Christian to Col. William Preston. 3QQ89] Head Of Rich Creek, Septr. 3: 1774
  
"I am informed that Men & provisions were moving from Stanton Wednesday and thursday was a week and that several Compys were at the Warm Springs. It is also said Mathews dont propose taking out all the flour at once, but to send back the pack horses from the mouth of Elk. That LA. Dunmore wrote to Ch. Lewis that some of his men had taken some little Towns & killed three or [four] people & that his Lordship was at fort Pitt. The above news came by one of the Woods's. He says also that there is Jents plenty and all goods necessary for the men such as Shirts Blankets Leggons."

 

Portraying Dunmore's Command: Sky Meadows State Park, August 10, 2024

In addition, the "Northern" Wing serving directly under Dunmore may have used cockades. "My Brother Jams went with Dumore as a Lieutenant.  He raised some of his men in our county.  They had Cockades of red ribond. I admired the looks of these soldiers so much I would have been glad to have went with them if I had been old enough." (Westward Into Kentucky: The Narrative of Daniel Trabue p42). Immediately after the battle Dunmore was described as "dressed in a Dutch blanket" which may refer to him using a blanket as a matchcoat or perhaps as a blanket coat.

1774 Virginia Militia Arms


 Although the Militia law had expired, the general framework seems to have been followed.

That every person so as aforesaid inlisted (except free mulattoes, negroes, and Indians) shall be armed in the manner following, that is to say: Every soldier shall be furnished with a firelock well fixed, a bayonet fitted to same, a double cartouch-box and three charges of powder, and constantly appear with the same at the time and place appointed for muster and exercise, and shall also keep at his place of abode one pound of powder and four pounds of ball, and bring the same with him into the field when he shall be required.

 

Dutch musket sideplate from Fort Ashby, WVa. 

From American Archaeology magazine spring 2009 pg37

 

 

Dutch Musket private collection

 
Archeological evidence and primary source documents point to the many of the muskets in use during this period as King's Pattern Long Land "Brown Bess" style or Dutch muskets, both of which were imported in sizeable numbers during the French and Indian war. Primary document use of the generic term "gun" suggests the very common fowling piece or shotgun was in the mix, and many of the men under Lewis seem to have been armed with rifled guns.

 Va Gazette (Rind) August 4, 1774 page 3

As noted, in Glenn Williams' detailed scholarship, the Northern wing's arms were augmented by 300 muskets with bayonets and cartouche boxes from Williamsburg. Further confirmation of this comes from the Journal of the house of Burgesses v6 p223 June 13 1775:

"It appears to your Committee from the Deposition of John Frederick Miller, keeper of the Magazine, that in June last [1774] there were thirty barrels of Gun Powder, containing each about fifty weight, in indifferent order; that, by the Governor's directions, he sifted twenty seven barrels, out of which he made up twenty six Casks and better, the other three he left unsifted; That the President, soon after, sent to the Governor, then on the Frontiers, eight of those he had sifted, three hundred Muskets,
 Bayonets, Cartouch boxes and Carbines, which have never been returned; That one hundred and sixty of the said Muskets were furnished out of the Palace, and soon after replaced out of the Magazine; That the said Miller, by order of the President, also delivered out about fifty stand of Arms, to some Gentlemen of this City, which have not been returned."

1770s rifle by Adam Haymaker of Winchester Virginia. 

Haymaker was later paid for "repair of Guns" for the campaign in October 1775.

The troops under Lewis were described by William Preston as "being mostly armed with rifle guns, and a great part of them good woodsmen, are looked upon to be at least equal to any troops for the number that have been raised in America. It is earnestly hoped that they will, in conjunction with the other party, be able to chastise the Ohio Indians for the many murders and robberies they have committed on our frontiers for many years past."

Ammunition was in short supply, and Maj. Arthur Campbell wrote to Col. William Preston that "..I make no doubt but your last supply of Ammunition will encourage the Inhabitants much, as I think every Man have 1/2 doz shoots a piece having direct[ed] the Powder to be divided by their Gun-Measures."

 1774 Virginia Militia Camp Equipment

Both linen tents and tin kettles were in use by the men of the expedition.

[Captain John Floyd to Col. William Preston. 33S42, 43.]
    Sept. 18th 1774...
    I am in hopes we shall make out pretty well about kettles we are also allowed 60 yards of tent cloth for a company...” p. 206-07.


      [Col. William Christian to Col. William Preston. 3QQ146.]
    “Camp Union Septr. 12, 1774...
    The kettles and Tents were chiefly distributed before I came  I could get but 16 or 17 battered tin kettles for all Fincastle & but few Tents  But I am told oxen brigs [unknown symbol or doodle here] enough for Tents will be brought with the Pack horses to morrow  If the major is not marched
when you get this Intelligence I really think we ough[t] to send over the whole Country and try to beg or borrow kettles for to do withougt[sic] is very hard almost [im?]possible
 It will presently make men sick to live on Roasted meat without broath.” p. 198. 

Reproducing the Hunting shirt- the quick and dirty version

First,

this image to the left is *NOT* a hunting shirt- and is fit for wear over clothes while on the dung heap or a waggon. It is made of the same materials, and has some of the same shapes, but seriously, no matter how much folks want it to be, it just plain doesn't fit the period descriptions and images (most solidly being caped, fringed and "open before"). The origins of this early American garment are murky at best, and definitive documentation on that front is elusive. If you do an F&I impression, there are likely FAR better choices than this garment (like a coat/matchcoat/jacket and etc), or for that matter a shabby undocumented attempt at "backdating" it by omitting the capes/fringe or any of the other elements that make a hunting shirt unique. Instead of making something up, why not copy and actual garment that fits with period descriptions and images?!? Although possible, there doesn't seem to be any concrete evidence of a pull over "hunting shirt" in the 18th century, so smart money goes with something that is split down the front.

Neal Hurst's Honors Thesis is a must read on the topic:

A "kind of armour, being peculiar to America" The American Hunting Shirt

Trumbull on the topic:

Sir,
You expressed an apprehension, that the rifle-dress of General Morgan may be mistaken hereafter for a wagoner's frock, which he, perhaps, wore when on the expedition with General Braddock; there is no more resemblance between the two dresses, than between a cloak and a coat; the wagoner's frock was intended, as the present cartman's, to cover and protect their other clothes, and is merely a long coarse shirt reaching below the knee; the dress of the Virginia rifle-men who came to Cambridge in 1775, (among whom was Morgan,) was an elegant loose dress reaching to the middle of the thigh, ornamented with fringes in various parts, and meeting the pantaloons of the same material and color, fringed and ornamented in a corresponding style. The officers wore the usual crimson sash over this, and around the waist, the straps, belts, &c., were black, forming, in my opinion, a very picturesque and elegant, as well as useful dress. It cost a trifle; the soldier could wash it at any brook he passed; and however worn and ragged and dirty his other clothing might be, when this was thrown over it, he was in elegant uniform.

I remember to have seen in Connecticut a regiment of militia drawn up for review, of which the battalion companies had adopted this rifle-dress of white linen with black straps and hats. A grenadier company had been selected of the tallest and finest men, and dressed at considerable expense in a handsome uniform of blue coats and scarlet under-dress. I first saw the regiment at the distance of half a mile; the grenadiers appeared small, and the rest of the regiment seemed grenadiers; the cause is obvious - the rifle-dress is loose, and the sleeves above the elbow loose like the ladies’ dresses of the present day, and the figure of course appears larger than if dressed in a coat with tight sleeves and body; besides which, opticians teach us that white objects always seem larger than objects of the same size, but of any other color.
J. T.” p. 18.

Longacre, James B., and Herring, James; “The National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans.” Volume III. Henry Perkins, Philadelphia. 1836. [Google Books.]

By 1768, ads in the Va Gazette indicate that Virginians knew what a "hunting shirt" was, although correspondence in the Washington papers makes a strong case for this apparently Virginia born garment being fairly unknown outside of areas north of Pennsylvania. Incidentally, Pennsylvania broadsides from 1775 proclaim that "The Virginian back Woods Men have a very good Reason for their hunting shirts, for as they wear no Breeches, Decency requires that their upper Dress should be of this Form "

Portrait of Captain Samuel Blodget in Rifle Dress

As with anything else, step #1 is to do your homework first to ensure that such is the *right* (or appropriate) garment for your who/what/when/why- for our purposes (Western Va ca 1768-1783) we have that nailed down as a fairly common garment (the image is Blodgett in Rifle Dress by Trumball, at the VMFA).

For a legit RevWar period hunting shirt pattern in a low priced book see Sketchbook '76 by Robert L. Klinger (also patterned in Katcher's excellent Uniforms of the Continental army):

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categories/partdetail.aspx?catid=4&subid=22&styleid=62&partnum=book-sb76

Further info on this particular shirt can be found here:

http://books.google.com/books?id=jSBDlSw_VtMC&lpg=PA70&ots=N58-PJcJIZ&dq=duryea%20hunting%20shirt&pg=PA70#v=onepage&q=duryea%20hunting%20shirt&f=false



Numerous vendors sell both unbleached/natural linen (aka osnabrigs aka BROWN LINEN) and white linen (which is what three of the four surviving shirts are made of)- this seems to be a common material for these things in the period. Manufactured pre fab 'fringe' that matches the originals is hard to come by, for many applications, unraveling a two inch or so strip of the same fabric used for the body is a good way to go for fringe.

A few quotes on the subject can be found here:

http://www.oldetoolshop.com/trekking/library/huntingshirts.html

and some references to colors here (don't be afraid to use WHITE or natural undyed linen):

http://www.oldetoolshop.com/trekking/library/shirtcolors.html

Get three or four yards and wash and iron it first.



These folks usually stock a good selection of appropriate linen:

http://www.burnleyandtrowbridge.com/

Period descriptions and surviving garments show a few variations existed- amount, construction and location of fringe, some had pockets, wrist closures (buttons and loops vs sleeve buttons and etc) and some appear to have had ties in the front or were closed with a belt.

Original Hunting shirt on view at Fort Pitt, note dark spots showing remnants of woolen ties

If you are a total hand sewing neophyte, you might want to go through Gilgun's Tidings from the 18th century.

after that, read this:

Neal Hurst on Hunting shirt construction



Speaking very broadly, you need to make a normal 18th c style body shirt that is split down the front, caped and fringed (some of the original shirts do exhibit subtle nuances that differ).  Original shirts were sometimes folded over at the shoulder line or in some cases folded at the sides.  Most shirts would have been made of a fairly narrow linen (26-32 inches or so wide).  Additionally, you might want to pleat the forearms and cover that transition line with fringe after stitching them down, as seen in the picture below.

 The sleeve pleating can be applied either before or after the wrist band (cuff) has been finished, but the majority of surviving shirts appear to have had this applied after the cuff was completed.

As with a lot of this stuff, DIY is cheaper, and you are learning a period hands on activity- or you can do what I did when I first started and spend hard earned money on something that is quick and easy and not right at all.  Another option (likely the BEST way to go as he has examined more originals than anyone I know of ) would be to take one of the great detail heavy Hunting shirt workshops with Neal Hurst.

18th century material culture slideshow on hunting shirts